Mechanism foe conteolling engines



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N0 Model.)

I B. P. TEAL. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING ENGINES No. 513,601.

Patented Jan. 30, 1894.

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(NO Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B.F.TEAL. I MEGHANISM POR CONTROLLING ENGINES.

I Patented Jan. 30, 1894.

2 rm or my .1 Ti lwllun (No Model.) 3 SheetI-Sheet 3. B. P. TEAL. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING ENGINES. N0.513,601.

II III llllllr UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BENJAMIN FRANK TEAL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD VALVE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,601, dated January 30, 1894.

Application filed August 14,1893. Serial No. 483,094. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TEAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Controlling Engines and for other Purposes, of which I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My present invention has for its object to provide improved mechanism whereby steam or other engines can be controlled and valves or other movable parts can be readily operated.

Figure l is a view in vertical longitudinal section through one form of valve mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1,but showing parts in different positions. Fig 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a modified form of the invention. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the parts in different positions. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section (parts being shown in elevation), through a modified form of the invention. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the parts in different positions and with certain of the parts omitted. Fig. 7 is a detail side view of the adjusting mechanism between the armature lever and the escape port valve. Fig. 8 is a detail end view of the cylinder, parts being shown in section.

A designates a cylinder for steam, compressed air, or other fluid underpressure, this cylinder being provided at one end with an admission port a, and at its opposite end with an escape port a.

Vithin the cylinder A is the piston B, the trunk rod 13 of which is preferably of such size as to cover a considerable part of the area of the piston upon one side, and extends through the head A of the cylinder, a stuffing-box a insuring a tight joint between the trunk rod and the cylinder head.

The trunk rod B is provided with suitable means whereby when this rod is shifted, its movement will be transmitted through convenient mechanism to the throttle of the engine, or other point at which the work of the valve mechanism is to be applied. One convenient form of mechanism for transmitting the motion of the trunk rod B to the engine is that illustrated in the accompanying draw- 5 5 ings, and consists of a rack-bar Z) mounted upon the trunk rod 13' and arranged to engage a pinion C that is mounted loosely upon a shaft D, that carries a sprocket wheel E keyed to the shaft, and serving through the medium 50 of a sprocket chain c to transmit motion to the throttle valve of the engine, it being understood of course, that the stem E of this throttle valve will be furnished with a simi lar sprocket wheel E over which the chain c will pass. The pinion C has fixed thereto, a ratchet wheel 0 with which will engage the pawls c that are carried by the sprocket wheel It. Hence, it will be seen, that when the rack bar I) is in gear with the pinion C, and

is moved in the direction of the arrow Fig. 7, motion will be transmitted from the pinion through the ratchet wheel and pawls to the sprocket wheel E and from this sprocket wheel by the chain c to the throttle valve of the engine. \Vhen, however, the rack bar I) is moved in reverse direction, the ratchet wheel C will ride beneath the pawls c and will not transmit movement to the throttle valve of the engine. 1) is made so short that when the valve mechanism is in normal position it will be out of engagement with the pinion C (see Fig. 1), so that the engineer in operating the throttle valve in usual manner will not affect any 85 movement of the trunk rod 13.

The cylinder head A is preferably furnished upon its inner face with an extension (1 which prevents the passage of the piston 13 over the admission port a and in the pis- 0 ton B is formed a channel 11' whereby steam or other fluid that is admitted by the port a can pass from one side of the piston B to the opposite side.

The escape port a of the cylinderAis con- 5 trolled by means of a valve F, the seatf of which is preferably'formed as an extension of the cylinder A, and in the construction shown, the valve F has a reduced portion f,

which, when opposite the port a will permit :00

the free escape of steam from the cylinder. The shifting of this valve E is preferably af= Preferably the rack bar fected by. means of an electro-magnet G, the armature G of which is connected by a pivoted elbow lever g with the rod g that passes through the valve F, the opposite end of this rod being connected to an arm g that is pivoted to a bracket 9 and extends upward into position to be engaged by a stop 12 attached to the trunk rod B. The electro-magnet G will be suitably connected by wires 2, 3 and 4 with a battery 5 and a switch or push button 6 by which the electric circuit through the wires, the battery and the magnet G can be closed in order to energize the magnet.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the parts are shown in normal position, that is to say, in the position which they will occupy when the throttle of the engine is open. If, now, it is desired to close the throttle of the engine in order to stop the machinery, it is only necessary to .turn the push button 6 until it contacts with the terminal 7 and thus completes the circuit from battery 5 through wires 2, 3 and 4t and electro-magnet G. The electromagnet being thus energized will attract its armature G and through the medium of the elbow lever g and rods 9' will shift the valve F'to the position seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that a free escape for steam w1ll be permitted from the escape port a. The pressure of steam upon the opposite side of the piston B will instantly force the piston B in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, and as illustrated in Fig. 2, will cause the rack bar I) to engage and turn the pinion C, which, through the medium of the ratchet wheel and pawls, will turn the sprocket wheel E and cause its chain e to close the throttle valve of the engine. By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that when the magnet G is energized, and its armature G is attracted to the position there shown, the arm will be turned outward into position to be engaged by the stop or projection b of the trunk rod B, and hence as the piston B nears the end of its stroke the stop I) will contact with the arm g and will again shift this arm and the valve to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby clos ng the escape port a. When the port a, is thus closed, the steam entering through the ad mission port a will pass through the channel I) to the exhaust side of the piston B, and inasmuch, as the area of the piston upon its exhaust side is greater than the area upon the opposite or induction side (part of such opposite area being taken up by the trunk rod B), the pressure of steam upon the exhaust side will force the piston B back to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings; that is to say, back to its normal position. It is manifest, however, that as the pinion O is connected to thesprocket wheel E, through the medium of the ratchet wheel 0 and pawls o, no motion will be imparted to the sprocket wheel by this backward movement of the trunk rod B. If desired, a spring 8 may constitute the shank of push-button 6, so as to retract the same when the hand of the operator is released therefrom.

It will beunderstood, of course, that my improved valve mechanism will be located adjacent to the engine and the electric wires in suitable number and arrangement may extend to various parts of the building, so that when it is desired to stop the engine from any part of the building, it is necessary only to throw the nearest switch or push-button 6 so as to cause the passage of current through the magnet G and thus shift the valve F and connected parts, to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When the valve F is thus shifted, the piston G will instantly respond and by its movement in the manner hereinbefore described, will cause the closing of the throttle valve so as to stop the engine. Inasmuch, however, as there is a difierence in the area exposed to the steam pressure upon opposite sides of the piston, it will be seen that as soon as the piston has completed its stroke and effected the stoppage of the engine, the pressure of steam admitted to both sides of the piston through channel I) being greaterupon the exhaust face of the piston, will force the piston backward to the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1, when it will be in readiness to again operate the throttle vale in case a stoppage of the engine is required to be made from a distant point. It will thus be seen that the piston B has a differential action, by reason of the difierence in area exposed to steam pressure upon its opposite sides, so that the piston will be returned with certainty to its normal position after the work of stopping the engine has been effected.

It is obvious that any convenient form of mechanism may be used in transmitting motion from the trunk rod B to the engine,and that in other respects the details of construction may be modified within wide limits. Thus for example, instead of forming a channel b in the piston B, this channel might be formed in the side wall of the cylinder A, the ends of the channel terminating adjacent the heads of the cylinder.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, I have shown my invention as embodied in a valve mechanism whereby both the starting and the stopping of the engine can be effected. In this form of the invention, as in that hereinbefore described, the cylinderAis provided with an admission port a and with an escape port a and with a piston B having a trunk rod B that extends through the head A of the cylinder, the trunk rod B of the piston being provided with the rack bar I) to engage a pinion O which in this form of the invention is directly connected to the sprocket wheel E, the chain c of which transmits movement to wheel E on the stem E of the throttle valve of the engine. In this form of my invention the channel I) that is formed in the piston B is furnished with a check valve b ICC the stem 5 of which extends normally beyond the opposite face of the piston B. In this form of the invention, also, the escape port a is controlled by a valve F and the admission port a is controlled by a similar valve F, these valves being connected together by the rod 9' that extends through the Valve F.

Upon the outer end of the rod 9' are fixed the stops g and g between which depends, in manner free to swing, the free end of the armature G of the electro-magnets, this armature being held in normally central position by the springs 9 and 10. Upon opposite sides of the armature G are arranged the electro-xnagnets G and G the magnet G serving, when energized, to eifect the movement of the valve mechanism necessary to cause a stoppage of the engine while the magnet G when energized, serves to eifect a reverse movement in order to secure the starting of the engine.

Suitable electric wires 13 and let will lead from the magnets G and G to the terminals 13 and 14 located adjacent the pivoted switch R, this switch being connected bya wire 15 with the terminal 16 of a key or pushbntton 17 from which a wire 18 leads to battery 5 from which a wire 19 leads to ground. The opposite terminals of the magnets Gand G will also be connected to ground by suitable wires 20 and 21. Manifestly, any convenient arrangement of wires may be employed between the switch R and the magnets.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the valve mechanism is in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the admission port ct will be open, but the steam or other fluid which would pass through the channels I) of the piston B will exert greater pressure upon the exhaust side of the piston by reason of the greater area exposed at such side, and consequently, the piston will be retained in normal position. Seen in Fig. 3. If, now, it is desired to stop the engine, the push-button 17 will be depressed so as to contact with the terminal 16 of the wire 18, thereby causing current to flow from battery 5 by wire 18 through button 17, by wire 15, switch R and wire 13 through magnet G and wire 20 to ground and so energize this magnet as to attract the armature G and cause it to shift the valve F so as to uncover the escape port a and close the admission port a of the cylinder,

as seen in Fig. 4. \Vhen the valve F is thus shifted to uncover the escape part a, the valve F is likewise shifted so as to close the admission port a, but the expansive action of the steam within the admission end of the cylinder will cause the piston B to move in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, toward the exhaust end of the cylinder and this movement of the piston 13 will cause the trunk rod B to turn the pinion O and sprocket wheelE so as to eitect the closing of the throttle valve of the engine. As the piston B reaches the end of its stroke, the stem 12 of the valve 5 will contact with the head A of the cylinder, thereby unseating the valve 19 and permitting the steam to escape freely through the channel 6. The piston B will thus remain at the exhaust end of the cylinder, but the switch R will be turned by a stop "1' on the trunk rod 13 as the rod completes its inward movement, thereby causing the switch R to be shifted from the terminal 13 to the terminal 14 of the wire 14: that leads to the electro-magnet GZwhen current can be passed from battery to the electro-magnet G in or der to energize the magnet and cause it to attract the armature G, when the engine is to be started. lVhen the magnet G is energized in order to start the engine by depressing the push-button 17 and armature G is attracted by this magnet, the free end of the armature G will contact with the stop g of the rod g and will move this rod from the position seen in Fig. i to the position seen in Fig. 3, thereby causing the valve F to close the escape port a and the valve F to uncover the admission port a. Steam being thus admitted through the port a will pass through the channel b of the piston B until the pressure of steam upon the exhaust side of the cylinder approximates to that of the opposite side, when by reason of the increased area of the piston upon the exhaust. side a backward movement of the piston will be efiected so as to insure its return to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. M son of thedilferhtial action of the piston B,

a quick shift of the piston is effected when a stoppage of the engine is to be made, but when the engine is to be started a slow return of the piston to the position seen in Fig. 3, is effected, thereby causing a gradual opening of the throttle valve in order to secure an easy starting of the engine. It will be observed that as the trunk rod B is thus returned to the position seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the stop 0" upon the trunk rod will contact with the switch R and cause it to shift from the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4, to the position shown by full lines in It will thus be seen. that. by. rea- Figs. 3 and t, so that the switch will again contact with the terminal 13 and be in readiness to transmit current over wire 13 to the magnet G and thereby enable the engine to be again stopped by a simple depression of the push-button 17. By thus providing the switch It and means whereby it may be automatically shifted from terminal 13 to terminal 14, a simple depression of the push-button 17 will insure the stopping of the engine when it is in operation or will insure astarting of the engine if it be at rest.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, a further modification of my invention is illustrated. In this form of the invention the cylinder A is shown as having its admission port a directly connected with the steam pipe A that leads to the chamber of the throttle valve A of the engine, the admission end of the cylinder A being furnished with the channel at in this form of the invention the head A ofthe cylinder has a valve rod 8 extending therea through and provided with a valve 8' adapted to close the port I) of the piston, when the piston has about completed its movement in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5. A coiled spring 8 encircling the valve stem 8 serves to hold the valve .9 normally in the position seen in Fig. 5, and around the outer end of this stem fits the forked arm t that is connected to the valveF that controls the escape port a, of the cylinder. The valve F is provided with a channelf for the free escape of steam or other fluid when this channel is brought coincident with theport a and with the opposite port f formed in thecasing wherein the valve F is .free to turn. To the stem of the valve F is pivotally connected the arm f of the armature G,this armf being furnished with a handle f for the purpose to be presently stated. From the end of the valve F projects a lugf and a pin f", the pin f serving to engage the arm f as it is rocked down ward and the lug f serving to engage an adjusting screw f as the arm f is turned. upward. The screw f passes through a threaded lug on the arm f and by means of this screw may be determined the extent of movement that shall be imparted to the valve F from the armf. The stem sof the valves is provided at its outer end with a nut s which will contact with the forked end of the arm tand limit the downward movement of this arm t and of the armature G. The electromagnetG whereby the armature G is shifted, is connected by a wire 25 with the terminal 26 of the push-button 27, the opposite terminal of this push-button being connected to a battery 5 that is jointed by a wire 28 to the opposite pole of the magnet G. From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the supply of steam or other fluid through the pipe A is to be cut off, it is only necessary to depress the push-button 27 until it contacts with the terminal 26 of the wire 25 that leads to the magnet G, thereby causing the passage of current from battery 5 through the magnet G, in order to energize such magnet. The energization of the magnet G causes it to attract the armature G, thereby shifting the valve F until the channel f is brought coincident with the escape port a of the cylinder A and with the portf in the casing of the valve F. The steam or other fluid upon the exhaust side of the piston B being thus released, the pressure upon the admission side of the piston will instantly shift the piston B in .the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5,

until the valve 1) is caused to close the port a at the end of the cylinder A. This closing of the valve b by the. piston B is possi- 'ble because the area of the piston B is conforce backward the valve 5 against the spring 8 in order to shift the valve F so as to close the escape port a and uncover the channel b so as to permit steam to pass through this channel into the exhaust end of the cylinder. When steam thus passes into the exhaust end of the cylinder, it will cause the piston B to be forced from the position seen in Fig. 5 to the position seen in Fig. 4, because the area of the piston upon its exhaust face is greater than its area upon the opposite face; and thus it is that a gradual opening of the port a will occur to permit the free passage of steam through the pipe A to the engine.

It will. be observed that in the several forms of my invention above described the escape port or channel by which the escape of fluid is permittedfrom that part of the cylinder opposite the larger area of the piston is considerably larger than the port or channel whereby the fluid under pressure is admitted to such end of the cylinder, and it will be observed also that the escape is effected to a point beyond the influence of the fluid pressure within the cylinder or casing so that when the controlling valve is shifted to open this escape channel or port a free release of the pressure from that end of the cylinder opposite the larger area of the piston is efiected much more rapidly than the fluid under pressure is admitted to such end of the cylinder; consequently with such free escape the fluid acting upon the smaller area of the piston readily imparts movement thereto.

Manifestly, the details of construction above set out may be varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention. So also it is obvious that my invention may be applied to a great variety of uses other than thus specified, such for example,

as controlling the valves of steam radiators,

water pipes or the likes.

Byan inspection of each of the above described forms of my invention it will be seen that in each the piston is at all times a differential piston because a portion of the area of one side of the piston is permanently protected against access thereto of the pressure to which said side of the piston is exposed and it will be seen also that the arrangement IIO of ports is such that when the valve mechanism whereby the escape port is controlled is open, the pressure upon the larger area of the piston will be so reduced as to permit the pressure upon the opposite side to cause a movement of the piston toward the end of the cylinder from which said escape occurs, and whereby also when said controlling valve is closed and pressure is allowed to accumulate against the larger area of the piston, the difference in area of the two sides of a the piston will cause the shifting of said piston in opposite direction against the pressure on its smaller area.

Inasmuch as my invention has for its main object to provide an apparatus in which a differential piston of the character above set forth is employed for the purpose of controlling a valve or transmitting movement to a part to which it is desired to communicate the movement of the piston, I do not wish my invention to be understood as including that type of apparatus in which a piston is employed for shifting a valve when the pressure of fluid is reduced upon one side of said piston but in which the piston is not at all times a differential piston and must consequent-1y be moved or started by extraneous force in one direction.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a'cylinder, a piston within said cylinder, one side of said piston having a portion of its areapermanently protected againstforce being exerted directlyor indirectly thereon by the fluid pressure to which said side of the piston is exposed, whereby the area upon the unprotected sideofsaidpistonisatalltimesgreater than the area exposed to direct or indirect pressure upon the opposite side, suitable channels being provided whereby fluid under pressure may be admitted to both ends of said cylinder and whereby a free escape of fluid may be had to a point beyond the influence of said fluid pressure from that end of the cylinder to which the permanently larger area of the piston is exposed; the etl'ective channel for escape of fluid from the end of the cylinder opposite the larger area of the piston being larger than the channel for admission of fluid to said end; and asuitable valve for controlling said escape of fluid from said cylinder; whereby when said controlling valve is opened, the pressure upon the larger area of the piston will be so reduced as to permit the pressure upon the opposite side to cause movement of the piston toward the end of the cylinder from which said escape occurs, and whereby when said controlling valve is closed and pressure is allowed to accumulate against the larger area of the piston, the difference in area of the two sides of the piston will cause the shifting of said piston in opposite direction against an unequal fluid pressure per square inch upon its smaller area.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylinder having channels whereby fluid under pressure may be admitted to both ends of said cylinder,a differential piston Within said cylinder, one side of said piston having connected thereto a rod or trunk, the end of which is permanently protected against the effect thereon of the fluid pressure to which said side of the piston is exposed, whereby said pistonis at alltimes subjected to fluid pressure acting upon different effective areas on its opposite sides; said cylinder being provided at the end opposite the larger area of the piston with an escape channel leading through the wall of the cylinder to a point beyond the influence oi the fluid pressure and with a controlling valve for said channel, said escape channel being of greater effective capacity than the channel by which fluid under pressure is ad mitted to said end of said cylinder; whereby when said controlling valve is opened a free escape of fluid may be had from said cylinder to a point beyond the influence of the fluid pressure more rapidly than fluid under pressure is admitted to the end of the cylinder from which said escape occurs, and whereby when said controlling valve is closed and pressure is allowed to accumulate against the larger area of the piston, the difference in area upon opposite sides of said piston, although exposed to like fluid pressure, will cause the shifting of said piston in opposite direction against the pressure on its smaller area.

3. In apparatus of the character described the combination with a delivery pipe having a port for the passage therethrough of fluid from one section of said pipe to the other section thereof, of a cylinder connected to said pipe, a differential piston within said cylinder, said piston being provided with an operating trunk or rod having a valve for controlling said port by which fluid passes between the sections of said pipe, said trunk or rod having an end extending beyond said valve and permanently protected against access of fluid pressure thereto at all times, suitable ports or channels being provided whereby fluid under pressure will pass from said pipe to both sides of said piston, said cylinder having formed in its wall adjacent the larger area of the piston an escape port to permit a free exhaust of fluid, and a valve for controlling said escape port; whereby when said valve is open a free escape of fluid from that part of the cylinder opposite the larger area of the piston will be had to permit the movement of the piston in one direction and whereby when said escape port is closed and fluid is allowed to accumulate within that part of the cylinder opposite the larger area of the piston, a reverse movement of the piston will be eifected, substantially as described.

4:- An apparatus of the character described, comprising a pipe A a cylinder having at one end an admission port a, and a through port a and having at its opposite end an escape port and valve mechanism for controlling said escape port, and apiston B provided with a rod B, the stem of which rod is housed and permanently protected against access of pressure to its outer end and carries a valve 1) for closing the through port a substantially as described.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylinder having an escape port, a differential piston within said cylinder provided with an operating rod, said rod serving to obstruct the exposed area of said piston upon one side thereof and having its outer end protected against fluid pressure, suitable valve mechanism for controlling the escape port of said cylinder, an electro-magnet for shifting said escape port valve and suitable means for varying the extent of movement imparted by the armature of the magnet to said escape port valve, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus of the character described,

comprising a cylinder, the escape port of which is provided with a controlling valve, a piston within said cylinder, an electro-magnet for shifting the escape port valve and suitable means for varying the extent of as described.

B. FRANK TEAL. Witnesses:

GEO. P. FISHER, J r., FRED GERLACH. 

